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Derby County 17/18 Season - Discussion Thread


RamsPolls

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4 minutes ago, RamsPolls said:

Leadership? I don't think Keogh could lead a dog on a walk. He has no leadership at all. I'm not saying he's the sole reason we have got worse since Wembley. But it's no coincidence that we haven't improved since he has been captain. 

:lol:

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15 minutes ago, RamsPolls said:

Leadership? I don't think Keogh could lead a dog on a walk. He has no leadership at all. I'm not saying he's the sole reason we have got worse since Wembley. But it's no coincidence that we haven't improved since he has been captain. 

Before Keogh arrived

11/12 season 12th Derby P46 W11 D4 L8 F28 A23 W7 D6 L10 F22 A35 GD-8 Pts64

I think we might have just improved a bit since Keogh has been here as captain.

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25 minutes ago, rynny said:

Before Keogh arrived

11/12 season 12th Derby P46 W11 D4 L8 F28 A23 W7 D6 L10 F22 A35 GD-8 Pts64

I think we might have just improved a bit since Keogh has been here as captain.

I don't approve of your stats Rynny... Especially when they prove me wrong <_<

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So next years championship roster will look like this...

Aston Villa 

Barnsley

Bolton Wanderers

Birmingham City

Bristol City

Brentford

Burton Albion

Cardiff City

Derby County

Fulham 

Hull City

Ipswich Town

Leeds United

Millwall

Middlesbrough 

Nottingham Forest

Norwich City

Preston North End

QPR

Sheffield Wednesday 

Sheffield United

Sunderland

Wolverhampton Wanderers

+ Reading or Huddersfield (Dependant on the play off final)

The 17/18 Championship is no where near as strong as last years. People saying that we haven't got a chance this year unless we spend big. I honestly think we have one of the strongest squads on paper this year. Last year we were over shadowed by Newcastle and Villa spending big. But this year, we have a serious chance of doing well. 

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You say it is not as strong as the season just finished but it is worth considering:

1) Teams coming down could very easily be better than those going up. Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull all have the resources etc to be as competitive as Brighton and whichever team wins play off final.  Only really Newcastle that wont be 'replaced' by a team of equal potential

2) Villa will be stronger next season - could make up for the loss of Newcastle by being the dominant big spenders?

3) Teams coming up are better, Sheff Utd, Bolton and Millwall will be stronger than Rotherham, Wigan and Blackburn.

4) Fulham, Wednesday and Leeds will most likely still be decent. Plus Norwich and play-off losers

5) Other clubs have potential to be much better than they have been e.g. Forest, Cardiff, Wolves, Ipswich, QPR

Championship is easily one of the hardest most competitive divisions in Europe at the minute.

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@DCFCTom84 - I agree the championship is the hardest league in Europe!

But I do think that the league this year is weaker than last year. There isn't a team in this league that I couldn't see us beating as things stands. They are nothing special like Newcastle were last year. 

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I feel positive. I think we'll finish a solid 8th or similar but we become hard working and consistent with a good ability to play incisive attacking football.

I think most of us expect a year of "transition" - if there was a better implement it would have been the season just gone, but that ended up a bit of a mess overall.

Not getting in the play offs might be a bit disappointing, but, if we are moving together in a solid direction I'll be happy.

I dont think Rowett has any intention of being a hoof merchant, but it'll have its moments and less of the sideways possession - possession is good but not an end in itself.

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2 hours ago, DCFCTom84 said:

You say it is not as strong as the season just finished but it is worth considering:

1) Teams coming down could very easily be better than those going up. Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull all have the resources etc to be as competitive as Brighton and whichever team wins play off final.  Only really Newcastle that wont be 'replaced' by a team of equal potential

2) Villa will be stronger next season - could make up for the loss of Newcastle by being the dominant big spenders?

3) Teams coming up are better, Sheff Utd, Bolton and Millwall will be stronger than Rotherham, Wigan and Blackburn.

4) Fulham, Wednesday and Leeds will most likely still be decent. Plus Norwich and play-off losers

5) Other clubs have potential to be much better than they have been e.g. Forest, Cardiff, Wolves, Ipswich, QPR

Championship is easily one of the hardest most competitive divisions in Europe at the minute.

Agree with most of this, save for point 1.

Middlesbrough are arguably the best equipped, since they didn't change all that much. Good chairman, too.

Hull are set to lose Silva to FC Porto, and have owners that don't seem to want to put up. 

Sunderland have a horrible squad that will need gutting. 

As with all of them, hugely dependent on who they sign as their respective managers, but I'd say they all start (squad wise, at least) far weaker than Newcastle and Brighton.

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2 hours ago, RamsPolls said:

@DCFCTom84 - I agree the championship is the hardest league in Europe!

But I do think that the league this year is weaker than last year. There isn't a team in this league that I couldn't see us beating as things stands. They are nothing special like Newcastle were last year. 

I agree there is definitely no Newcastle in the division for next season so therefore perhaps it is slightly more open.  Last season started with almost 1 automatic spot gone already, and that wont be the case this time.  Just wouldn't go so far as to say it is 'far easier' as I think if anything it has been strengthened by the teams coming up.

9 minutes ago, Animal is a Ram said:

Agree with most of this, save for point 1.

Middlesbrough are arguably the best equipped, since they didn't change all that much. Good chairman, too.

Hull are set to lose Silva to FC Porto, and have owners that don't seem to want to put up. 

Sunderland have a horrible squad that will need gutting. 

As with all of them, hugely dependent on who they sign as their respective managers, but I'd say they all start (squad wise, at least) far weaker than Newcastle and Brighton.

I agree that there is a big question mark over the teams coming down (there normally is).  All I meant is that in terms of budgets etc Hull Sunderland and Boro would be a match for certainly Brighton and Huddersfield/Reading.  So yes the 3 relegated teams could struggle but they could also be very competitive, if they are I think the division would be harder.

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9 minutes ago, DCFCTom84 said:

I agree there is definitely no Newcastle in the division for next season so therefore perhaps it is slightly more open.  Last season started with almost 1 automatic spot gone already, and that wont be the case this time.  Just wouldn't go so far as to say it is 'far easier' as I think if anything it has been strengthened by the teams coming up.

I know what you're saying in terms of the teams coming up. Sheffield united will be a force in this league, but not this year. They will take 2/3 years to get rid of League one standard players and replace them with real quality for this league. But you're right, they will be a good team in a few years to come. Millwall are our bogey side and we can rarely get a decent result against them. Bolton are very unpredictable in this league. They could survive or they could just flop like they did last year and be the relegation fodder from day 1. 

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Just now, RamsPolls said:

I know what you're saying in terms of the teams coming up. Sheffield united will be a force in this league, but not this year. They will take 2/3 years to get rid of League one standard players and replace them with real quality for this league. But you're right, they will be a good team in a few years to come. Millwall are our bogey side and we can rarely get a decent result against them. Bolton are very unpredictable in this league. They could survive or they could just flop like they did last year and be the relegation fodder from day 1. 

To be honest it's all total guesswork really! I think in my head Sunderland, Hull, Boro, Sheff United, Millwall and Bolton sounds a harder set of fixtures than Newcastle, Brighton, Huddersfield/Reading, Rotherham, Wigan and Blackburn. 

Having said all of that what's the betting that the top 2 next year are Barnsley and Preston with Burton and Bristol City in the playoffs. Just because they're about the only ones not being mentioned! :lol:

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I think we have reason to be optimistic, but to be honest I'd just be happy with a season that ends the turmoil of the previous years.

Objectives should be:

Top 10 finish, pushing play-offs

Rowett still manager at the end of the season, with the team playing the brand of football he desires

Responsible dealings in the transfer market - getting rid of dead wood and not spending too much; making sure that the players we sign are a good fit for the system GR wants to play

Further first team opportunities for Max Lowe and a few other young players - our academy is obviously of a high standard but we don't use it to full effect

 

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The aim is top 6, of course. That's clearly the aim, if you say the aim is top 10 then you're the sort of side who'd take a draw away at Wednesday. We shouldn't be playing for draws away at Wednesday, we should be trying to win.

If we finish below 6th then that's fine, stick to Rowett and stick the plan, but we should be aiming for top 6. None of this top 10 then build on that nonsense, that's what Barnsley, Wolves or Birmingham should be saying.

We've already got so much to build on. Selling ourselves short if we pretend otherwise.

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Whilst I admire the optimism of some of my fellow rams, there really isn't yet any basis for excitement - far too early. 

Haven't seen what our preferred style is.

No transfer deals yet concluded for us to be clear on squad personnel. 

No pre-season work for us to see Gary implement his training methods.

So apart from it being guesswork cubed I'm going to confidently predict us for a top half finish. 

Ps I don't fancy villa to be materially better than last season.

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